Crowdfunding and the Top Ten Most Successful Projects

Crowdfunding, a relatively new phenomenon in the online and offline spheres, is gaining momentum. The idea is simple: there are individuals with goals but lacking the funds to achieve them (recipients), and there is another group willing to finance these ideas to bring them to life. Investors provide funds altruistically (excluding purely symbolic gifts). This all happens online. A modern trend in the online world is the rise of various collaborative services and platforms, such as crowdsourcing.

In the English-speaking sector, there are several crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, Fundable, and Indiegogo, through which many interesting new ideas have been successfully funded. Projects like "Sensu Brush – a stylus for touchscreens" and "Icis – smart trendy glasses" showcase the wide range of thematic ideas funded - from music compositions to startup companies. Anyone feeling philanthropic can find a sector or industry to invest in.

Below is a list of ten of the most successful projects financed through crowdfunding.

1. Powerful and Stylish Hidden Radio Speaker

Hidden Radio, an accessory for music listening, evolved into Hidden Radio 2 - a sleek gadget designed to demonstrate that music can sound and look beautiful. The developers enhanced the device's exterior to perfection, resembling an elegant metallic barrel. One notable improvement is the volume adjustment by rotating the speaker's body around its axis. The result is a powerful speaker with a creative design that adds sophistication to your home or office. Hidden Radio developers achieved their goal of beautiful sound and aesthetic appeal, evidenced by their dual success on Kickstarter.

2. Development of the Affordable Home 3D Printer FORM1

3D printers are becoming mainstream and are predicted to produce everything from clothing to various products in the near future. Engineers from MIT Media Lab aimed to develop an affordable 3D printer for home use. The FORM1 creators pledged to produce a cost-effective yet professional-grade device for a broad consumer base. Though aiming for $100,000, they exceeded expectations with $3 million from two thousand sponsors, enabling the mass production of FORM1 soon.

3. Advanced Pebble Smartwatches

What's new in smartwatches? Turns out, quite a bit. Pebble watches, coupled with a special iPhone and Android app, connect to smartphones to notify users of calls, messages, and app notifications displayed on the watch screen. Pebble operates elegantly, with a sleek design. Within the first 28 hours on Kickstarter, they raised the total needed amount: $1 million. Overall, they collected around ten million dollars.

4. SkyBell Notification System

Ever waited for a package delivery, only to miss the courier? SkyBell creators designed a video doorbell system with a microphone and speaker to connect via a smartphone app. With SkyBell at the front door and an iPhone in hand, you can answer the door, communicate with guests, and see them from anywhere globally.

5. Nikola Tesla Scientific Center and Museum

It's not necessary for a crowdfunding project to be high-tech to succeed. An initiative to restore Nikola Tesla's unfinished laboratory began with pondering why Edison is widely known but Tesla isn't. In just 9 days on Indiegogo, over a million dollars was raised to restore Wardenclyffe Tower not only as a museum but also as a tribute to the great scientist.

6. Apple Device Dock Elevation Dock

Elevation Dock developers, unhappy with Apple's charging docks, took on the responsibility to create a new device, with crowdfunding gathering $1.4 million. The new device, designed with minimalist style, thoughtfully addresses concerns like charging the iPhone with or without a case and easy one-handed removal.

7. Film "Veronica Mars"

Crowdfunding films is becoming lucrative for indie directors and production companies. "Veronica Mars" movie was among the top crowdfunding projects, raising $5.7 million (aiming for $2 million). Despite some backers' hopes for free downloads, they ended up paying $12 to watch the movie. Nevertheless, the project inspired many aspiring directors.

8. Smartphone Tripod Stand The Glif

The simple yet essential smartphone holder, The Glif, was born out of a common problem recognized and solved by its creators. Crowdfunding expectations for mass production were set at $10,000 but exceeded $130,000. The overwhelming support showcased the product's demand.

9. Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headset

The development of the groundbreaking VR headset, Oculus Rift, started in 2013 with funding through Kickstarter, surpassing the initial goal with almost $2.5 million. Recently, Facebook acquired Oculus Rift for $2 billion, potentially revolutionizing virtual communication and turning the inventors into billionaires.

10. The Scanadu Scout Medical Tricorder

The Scanadu Scout reads vital signs through sensors, sending data to the user's smartphone in seconds. This device enables quick diagnostics for all ages, crucial for detecting health issues like strokes or allergies early. Seeking $100,000 on Indiegogo, they received $1.5 million, emphasizing the importance of early disease prevention.